Transition connector of a submarine cable



Oct. 24, 1967 L, ROC-TON TRANSITION CONNECTOR OF A SUBMARIINE CABLEFiled April le, 1965 United States Patent O 3,349,163 TRANSITIONCONNECTOR OF A SUB- MARINE CABLE Lucien Rocton, Malakoff, France,assignor to CIT- Compagnie Industrielle des Telecommunications, Paris,France Filed Apr. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 448,654 Claims priority,applicatioln France, Apr. 16, 1964,

971, 12 Claims. (Cl. 174-70) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The inventionrelates to an element of a submarine transmission line, particularlysuitable for connecting a line cable with a repeater, having both thefeatures of being leak-proof and of general coaxial arrangement.

An object of the invention is to provide a partly flexible andleak-tight connecting element for connecting the main conductor of aline cable to one of the terminals of a leak-proof repeater of so calledrigid type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an element, having acoaxial structure for connecting the first auxiliary conductor with thesecond auxiliary conductor of a cable having an insulated mainconductor, a first auxiliary conductor having no insulation andextending7 along a part of the cable and a second auxiliary conductor,having an insulation and extending along another part of the cable.

The invention applies, for example, to cables having an underwaterrepeater of the so-called rigid type, comprising a metallic vesselwithin which a low pressure prevails and which is externally isolatedfrom sea water, for instance, by means of a molded polyethylene cover,and provided with two leak-proof connections; the mechanical connectionbetween the repeater and the cable section or line cable being providedby a first member surrounding the repeater and a second membersurrounding the end of the line cable; and the two members beingassembled by a universal joint.

An electrical connection between the conductors of the line cable andthe repeater is generally provided by a more or less flexible linkingcable, having a relatively short length of some tens of centimeters.

An object of the present invention is to provide such a linking cablehaving a coaxial arrangement.

According to the invention, the linking cable comprises a centralinsulated conductor the ends of which are connected with the centralconductor of the cable line and with one of the terminals of therepeater respectively. This insulated central conductor passes throughan axial bore of a metallic member having a central collar or flangehaving transverse dimension greater than the transverse dimension of theremaining parts of the metallic member. Two insulating covers are moldedaround these remaining parts and preferably around a length of eachextremity of the central conductor extending from the ends of the axialbore of the metallic member. One of these extremities comprise an outerconductor which is connected to the central collar of the fiange, theother extremity comprises an outer conductor connected with the end ofthe metallic member; this other extremity is preferably entirely coveredwith an insulating layer which is also disposed around the repeater, thelatter outer conductor being connected with a second terminal of thisrepeater.

It is to be understood in the foregoing as well as in the followingdescription that the invention is in no way limited to the use ofpolyethylene which is given here only as an example of a suitableinsulating material. Although the applicant prefers the use of syntheticmaterials such as polyethylene, it is obvious that many other moldableinsulating materials may be used in a connecting element of theinvention.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an element of a submarine transmission line of theinvention, comprising a conventional repeater of which only some partshave been illustrated, and

FIGURE 2 isa section of a part of the element illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1 shows an example of the element of a submarine line accordingto the invention, comprising a repeater 3S and a line cable 29. Therepeater 35 partly illustrated in FIGURE l, comprises a repeatingcircuit (not shown) arranged in a vessel 13 through which extend twoconductors 11 and 12 connected with the conductors of line cable 29through a linking cable having three distinct parts 1, 1 and 1" and aconnecting box 60.

The cable designated by numeral 29 comprises an external armor 30, anouter conductor 31, an insulating layer 32 and an inner conductor 33.

For mechanical connection of the cable 29 with the repeater 35, thelatter comprises a metallic housing 16 made of several assembled partssurrounding the repeater including a substantially cylindrical extension16 surrounding the parts 1 and 1' of the linking cable and theconnecting box 60.

On the other hand, cable 29 is mechanically connected to a connectingmember comprising a first cylindrical member 36 inserted between theexternal conductor 31 and the armor 30 and a second cylindrical member19 having a ball-shaped end 17, a flange 18 being provided betweenmember 36 and member 19. The armor 30 is secured to flange 18, forexample, by means of nuts 37. The ball-shaped end 17 of the member 19 isrotatably mounted about an axle 4G secured to the end of the cylindricalextension 16'.

The mechanical connection described hereinabove makes it possibleA tostrongly secure the armor of the cable 29 to the housing of the repeater35. It is to be understood that the universal joint of FIGURE l has beendescribed only as an example, since other conventional connecting `meansmay be used in association with the electrical connection of theinvention as it will appear from the description below.

The external conductor 31 of cable 29 is electrically connected to thecylindrical member 36 which is therefore used also as an electricalconductor. The inner conlductor 33 is connected to an inner conductor 4of the part 1" of the linking cable which comprises an insulating layer3 made of polyethylene, for example. Conductor 4 of the part 1 has amuch smaller cross section than that of conductor 33, thus giving acertain ilexibility to the linking cable, which passes through a centralbore of the cylindrical member 19 and continues as a part 1 whichcomprises an additional conductor 2 made of interlaced wires 21surrounding the polyethylene insulating layer 3. By one end the wires 21of the composite conductor 2 are electrically connected to theball-shaped end 17 of the member 19 by connections such as 21 and 22. Bythe other end the wires 21 are connected toa collar 61 of a connectionbox 60. The other end of the inner conductor 4 of the cable 1 passesthrough this box 60 and is connected to the repeater as will bedescribed below.

Connection box 60 comprises a lower part 7 extended by the part 1' ofthe linking cable having an inner conductor designated also by thereference numeral 4 connected to conductor 12 of the repeater 3S and anexternal conductor 9 connected with the conductor 11 of the repeater 35.To ensure a proper insulation a polyethylene cover 8 is molded aroundconductors 9, this cover 8 being integral with a polyethylene cover 14molded around the vessel 13 of the repeater. Cover 14 ensures at thesame time the tightness of the vessel 13 and the insulation between thehousing 16, the vessel 13 and the conductors 11 and 12.

FIGURE 2 shows a detail section of the connection box 60 connecting thepart 1 with the part 1 of the linking cable. Part 1 has an insulatedinner conductor 4 and a non-insulated outer conductor 2. Part 1' has aninner conductor 4 and an external conductor 9 with interposed insulatinglayers 3 and 8. Connection box 60 comprises metallic member 6 having twosubstantially elongated cylindrical parts 62 and 63 and a central ilangeor collar 61. The inner conductor 4 and its insulating cover 3 of cable1 pass through an axial bore of member 6 (FIG- URE 2). A polyethylenecover 5 is molded around part 62 of member 6 and around a given lengthof the inner conductor 4 and its insulation 3 of the part 1. The wiresof the conductor 2 of the part 1 are positioned around the cover 5 andare welded to the periphery of the flange or collar 61. The part 1'comprises a cylindrical conductor 9 positioned around the insulation 3of the inner conductor 4. Conductor 9 is electrically connected to theextremity 64 the part 63 of the member 6. The extremity 64 has anelongated shape and the connection ofthe conductor 9 therewith may becarried out by itting the extremity 64 into the cylindrical conductor 9.

A polyethylene cover 7 is molded around said parts 63-64 and a givenlength of the conductor 9; this cover is extended also all along thecable 1 but has -a lower thickness (cover 8i, FIGURE 2).

In the description above, it has been said that the elements 3, 5, 7, 8and 14 are made of polyethylene. While this material is preferred by theapplicant, it is to be understo-od that it has been cited only as anexample and most of the known synthetic materials having similarmechanical and electrical properties may be used in the device of theinvention. The elements of the mechanical connection (17, 18, 19, 36,16, and 16') are preferably made of a nonmagnetic metal having goodelectrical conductivity such as bronze.

In the device of the invention, the external conductor of the line cable(cable 29, FIGURE l) is in contact with sea water While the connectionbox (60, FIGURE 1) ensures a leak-proof connection of the innerconductor 4 and the external conductor 9 to the input terminals 11 and12 of the repeater, the general coaxial arrangement of the conductorsbeing preserved from the line cable to the repeater.

The invention has been described for the case of a line cable having anexternal armor (30, FIGURE 1) but it is obvious that the invention alsoapplies to cable lines having an armored inner conductor as a matter offact the mechanical connection described above is conventional and maybe replaced by another conventional mechanical connection adapted forcables having a armored inner conductor.

I claim:

1. A transition element of a transmission line comprising:

a cable having an insulated central conductor,

a metallic substantially cylindrical member having an axial bore, twoend parts and a central part having an outer transverse dimensiongreater than that of said end parts, said cable tranversing saidmetallic 4. member from one end to the other end through said centralbore, two insulating elements molded around said rst end part and saidsecond part respectively and separated Iby said central part,

the part of the cable extending from said first end part having a secondconductor electrically connected with said central part,

the part of the cable extending from said second end part having asecond conductor electrically connected with said second end part of themetallic member.

2. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, wherein at leastone of the insulating elements overlaps the corresponding end part,covering a certain length of the cable.

3. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond cond-uctor of the part of the cable extending from said first endpart of the metallic member has a generally cylindrical shape andsurrounds the insulation of the central conductor.

4. Element of a transmission line according to claim 3, wherein saidsecond conductor of the part of the cable extending from said irst endpart of the metallic member is made of braided wires.

5. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond conductor of the part o-t the cable extending from said secondend part of the metallic member is a cylindrical conductor coaxial withsaid central conductor.

6. Element of a transmission line according to claim 5, wherein the tipof said second end part of the metallic member has a circular sectionthe diameter of which is smaller than the transverse dimensions of thesecond end part, said tip engaging said second conductor of the partofthe cable extending from said second end part.

7. Element of a transmission line according to claim 5, wherein saidlcentral conductor and said second conductor of the part of the cableextending from said second end part are respectively connected to theterminals of a repeater, said repeater and this part of the cable beingentirely covered with an insulating layer.

8. Element of a transmission line according to claim 7, wherein saidinsulating layer is made of synthetic material molded around therepeater and the part of the cable extending from `said second end partof the metallic layer.

9. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, comprising meansfor connecting the end of central conductor of the part of the cableextending from said irst end part of the metallic member with a rstconductor of a submarine line cable and means for connecting said secondconductor of this part of the cable to a second conductor of said linecable.

10. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, wherein saidinsulating elements and the insulation of said central conductor aremade of synthetic material.

' 11. Element of a transmission line according to claim 1, comprisingmeans for connecting the central conductor of the part of the cableextending from said iirst end part with a rst conductor of a submarineline cable, means for connecting the second conductor of the part of thecable extending from said iirst end part with a second conductor of saidline cable, means for connecting the central conductor and the secondconductor of the part of said `cable extending from said second end partrespectively with the terminals of a repeater, the latter part of thecable and the repeater being covered by a molded l-ayer of syntheticinsulating material, and means for mechanically securing said repeaterto said line cable, having at least one element making vup said meansfor connecting the second conductor of the part extending from saidsecond end part with the second conductor of the line cable.

12. Element of a transmission line according to claim 11, wherein saidmechanical connecting means comprises elements made of nonmagneticmetal.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTSUNITED STATES PATENTS 847,858 9/1960 Great Britain.

140,096 4/ 1953 Sweden. 2,110,457 3/1938 Wentz 174-70 2,697,739 12/ 1954Presswell 174-70 5 LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A TRANSITION ELEMENT OF A TRANSMISSION LINE COMPRISING: A CABLEHAVING AN INSULATED CENTRAL CONDUCTOR, A METALLIC SUBSTANTIALLYCYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING AN AXIAL BORE, TWO END PARTS AND A CENTRALPART HAVING AN OUTER TRANSVERSE DIMENSION GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID ENDPARTS, SAID CABLE TRANSVERSING SAID METALLIC MEMBER FROM ONE END TO THEOTHER END THROUGH SAID CENTRAL BORE, TWO INSULATING ELEMENTS MOLDEDAROUND SAID FIRST END PART AND SAID SECOND PART RESPECTIVELY ANDSEPARATED BY SAID CENTRAL PART, THE PART OF THE CABLE EXTENDING FROMSAID FIRST END PART HAVING A SECOND CONDUCTOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTEDWITH SAID CENTRAL PART, THE PART OF THE CABLE EXTENDING FROM SAID SECONDEND PART HAVING A SECOND CONDUCTOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAIDSECOND END PART OF THE METALLIC MEMBER.